Monday, November 27, 2017

Advent


We looked to Bishop Ken's homily from the first Sunday in Advent - 2003 for inspiration for our worship space at the SS. Peter and Paul site of St. Dominic's in Saginaw, Michigan. The empty manger at the cross.

"The calendar that affects us today is the Catholic liturgical calendar. In that calendar, the New Year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, which we are celebrating today.    
Our liturgical calendar revolves entirely around Jesus Christ. Every single year, we celebrate the whole story of Jesus Christ. We begin with the Advent and Christmas seasons, which revolve around his birth. The Christmas seasons ends with the baptism of the Lord by John the Baptist, and we begin his public ministry.  So we start listening to Gospels telling us about the early days of his ministry. After that comes Lent, when we begin looking toward his arrest, his suffering, his death. Lent leads up to the three-day Holy Triduum, when we meditate on his passion, death, and resurrection. Then we have the fifty day Easter season when we celebrate the truth of his resurrection, leading up to Pentecost when we celebrate his pouring of the Spirit upon us. Finally, we spend the rest of the year proclaiming all that he did and said.
We do that every liturgical year, the same sequence. Then when it ends, we start over.
So here we are at the very beginning of another liturgical year - the first Sunday of Advent. There's an interesting thing about our beginning. Every year, on the first Sunday of Advent, the Gospel is about the end of the world. At first that might seem strange - to begin with the ending. On the other hand, that's the way we map out a trip. If we're trying to figure out how to get somewhere, we start with the ending - our destination. Then we figure out how to get there."

http://www.visitationnorth.org/index.php/year-c-luke/123-first-sunday-of-advent-year-c

Friday, November 24, 2017

Happy Day After

What a great time yesterday. 20 people in our condo. No kids so it was less than expected but we all had a place to sit.

The turkey was delicious and very juicy even though it was done an hour early and we had to wait for everyone to arrive.

That pumpkin slab pie was such a good idea. Potatoes and dressing made in crockpots turned out yummy.

This made the day run smoothly.

After work was done


Thankful for so much.

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Easy Peasy

I decided to make a cookie sheet pie. Doubled the pumpkin pie recipe on the Libby's pumpkin can. 350° for 55 minutes. Turned oven off and left it in for 30 minutes. It's gorgeous.


Monday, November 20, 2017

New Perspective

I love how the angle of the sun changes in the fall. It changes the landscape with shadows. This afternoon we drove through the countryside, stopping lots of times so I could take pictures. A great afternoon.







Friday, November 17, 2017

Wonder

A heartwarming movie filled with growing up, friendship and family. I doubt it will win awards, but it won my heart.



Thursday, November 16, 2017

Much needed pj day

I'm sitting on my couch in my PJ's and it's after Noon! We have been on the go for weeks. Even if some of that time was fun time it was part of the nonstop pattern.

So today I'm watching an NCIS marathon, tipping my neighbors on Bakery Story, planning the cooking prep for 24 Thanksgiving guests (it may sound like work, but I love making a timeine) and not getting dressed until we have dinner with friends later tonight.

One last look from the living room before leaving for dinner.